Decoder Ring Plus | How Beef Changed the World

This week on Decoder Ring we explored the nonfiction genre of “microhistories” or “thing biographies”—books about a single subject with a claim to changing the world, like refrigeration, rope, or beavers. We challenged several authors to defend the grandiose assertions made in their books’ titles, but there are so many more topics to put to the test. In this special bonus episode, we take on one more allegedly world-altering subject: beef. Willa speaks with Joshua Specht, historian of the environment and business at the University of Notre Dame, about his book Red Meat Republic: A Hoof-to-Table History of How Beef Changed America. Josh argues that cattle pushed the expansion of the United States into the West, dramatically reshaping our sense of self. He also explains how beef pioneered a model of industrial agriculture that dominates food today. And as we move forward, beef remains at the forefront of global issues related to climate change. This episode is member-exclusive. Listen to it now by subscribing to Slate Plus. By joining, not only will you unlock this episode—you’ll also access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of the Decoder Ring show page. Or, visit slate.com/decoderplus to get access wherever you listen.